‘Hangxiety’ hits the shy

WHEN facing a dinner party or a room full of strangers, a glass of wine can provide much-needed Dutch courage for the shy, but using alcohol for confidence may not be a good idea, as it can lead to a much worse hangover … or “hangxiety”.

Shy people who have a few drinks feel more anxious when they are hungover the next day, a study found.

Alcohol may reduce nervousness in the brain at the time, but there is a “rebound effect” that makes it worse the next day.

The UK study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, involved 97 people who spent four hours either drinking or sober at home.